Christopher

jain4animals

I wondered the same thing so I googled it and sure enough, "The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) is one of several front groups created by Berman & Co., a Washington, DC public affairs firm owned by Rick Berman, who lobbies for the restaurant, hotel, alcoholic beverage and tobacco industries." So there you have it, free ads for lobbyists as long as they're from a conservative think tank.

PhilJulian

judeye

I too had to look it up as I wondered why an outside group would be making comment in our local paper.

Yep..jain4animals..has it correct. "The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) is one of several front groups created by Berman & Co., a Washington, DC public affairs firm owned by Rick Berman, who lobbies for the restaurant, hotel, alcoholic beverage and tobacco industries" Rick Berman created EPI in 1991 to "argue the importance of minimum wage jobs for the poor and uneducated... In reality, EPI's mission is to keep the minimum wage low so Berman's clients can continue to pay their workers as little as possible.EPI also owns the internet domain names to MinimumWage**** and LivingWage****, a website that attempts to portray the idea of a living wage for workers as some kind of insidious conspiracy. "Living wage activists want nothing less than a national livingwage," it warns (as though there is something wrong with paying employees enough that they can

judeye

It is so frustrating when we are up against tons of money designed for no other use than to distract, present false information, and advocate for the super rich at the cost to the working people.

Take a look at Australia where the minimal wage is nearly twice that of the USA. Their wages have tried to keep up with the profits of the companies. Rather than the increasing huge gap in incomes in this country between the workers and the CEOs.

PhilJulian

A person flipping burgers might make $7.25 per hour because that's what his skill level commands in a free society. A person throwing a football might make $1 million per year because that's what his skill level commands in a free society. The system might not seem fair but the option is a sociialistic society where everyone gets $10,00 regardless of their skills, education or productivity. If Democrats had a choice that is the system we would have.

Marcia

Yes, Phil, because $10,000 will get you so far. A person working full time at the proposed minimum wage will earn $17,680 per year (currently they earn $15,080.) That's with no days off, because, let's face it, minimum wage earners rarely get paid vacation and sick time. With so many companies wanting to pay minimum wage to everyone, it's not just kids making that amount anymore ( I Believe some of you have suggested that public employees get minimum wage.) When people earn so little, they qualify for meedicaid, food stamps, etc. So the taxpayers subsidize companies like Walmart that want to pay substandard wages, while the owners are several of the richest people in the world. Perhaps those of you opposed to welfare should be for wage increases.

localresident

Jobs like flipping burgers at McDonald's are meant for short-time employees, like kids in high school to make some spending money before graduation/college. Ok, double the minimum wage, and watch what happens to Sullivans. Bye bye, and another local long-time small business gone. Sooo caught up in what it takes to make a living working at a fast food place when that job was never meant to be long term at all. No idea why you all think that every small business is a McDonald's, rolling with cash. Keep on shooting those feet....

judeye

localresident..I agree they USED to be short term mainly kids earning money while in college or high school. These days many of those jobs are held by adults trying to support their families.

Look around here. Just how many jobs do you think will be available to all those who might lose their jobs with the closures of Petri and Carriage House Talcott st? where are they to go for work?

Marcia hits it. We all end up paying for the working poor, who although working full time, do not make enough money to support their families. Sad..very very sad.

What happened to the JOBS BILL? The one that would have trained and helped to employ thousands of people nationwide? Oh yes..that is right...GOP would not allow it to come to the floor for debate or discussion. They were more interested in restricting women's rights to her body and trying to repeal Obamacares.

yerout49

Hiking the minimum wage that steep will only cause employers who hire minimum wage workers to hire less and cut available hours within the business. They will expect more from less people working and the customers will suffer with longer waits and higher prices. Its already happening. The focus should be on welfare cuts and food stamp cuts so that our taxes can be lowered. Why not put the perpetual welfare person who is able to work back to work, there are a lot of highways that need to be cleaned up.

Marcia

yerout49, sorry that job is already taken by the prisoners. So cut food stamps so those working for $7.25/hour can't support themselves, and can't eat. I mean, why aren't they working 20 hours a day at minimum wage, that might work. The Walmart owners need the money.

Marcia

yerout49, by the way they have already cut to the core. If you wanted to solve the unemployment problem, just have every company hire enough workers to cover their services. I can think of very few retail outlets I go to or call centers I contact that have staff available. You know, like call your insurance company and be put on hold for 45 minutes. Or try to find help with an item at a store. How many more people can they get rid of and still stay open?

yerout49

Marcia, I'm not talking about cutting the help for people who need it, yo missed the point, if we all paid less taxes then businesses will pay less tax. I'm talking about people who could get off of it if they wanted to but there is not incentive for them to do so, so us working class keep paying more and more taxes right along with our employers, we cant afford this any more. and if you dont see a lack of service in the stores then you dont shop very much.

American

The biggest thing raising the minimum wage does is to raise the cost of everything made in the USA. When you raise the minimum and prices go up what have you truly gained? You have just raised prices for those on fixed incomes and anyone who doesn't get a raise along with minimum.

localresident

Judeye, it's not my fault that this are is so inhospitable for entrepreneurialism and any business that would like to expand. McDonald's is , and always will be an entry-level job meant for high school kids to make some extra cash, period. It is not a thinking man's job, just flip, ketchup, collect cash (or swipe credit card now). So if anyone is thinking that they're going to make ends meet while making Beef n' Cheddars at Arby's, that is a bad economic decision. Are you saying that now, in a bad economy a basic job should kick in extra bucks because people around here are having trouble finding work?!?! Poor planning on their part does not constitute an emergency on mine. Like I said, ask Sullivan's what they are going to do with the added cost. Ask Valu Hardware what they're going to do. The cost of gas? Going up, thanks Cuomo (this sort of thing runs in that family). Time to shop in Erie PA again.

localresident

robert

Paul, "employment policies Institute" is a conservative think tank...what does that tell you. All you guys scream that there are too many people on welfare but you don't want a livable wage paid out because your hamburger may go up a nickel?

robert

and to the nut case that says grocery stores only make two cents on a dollar? where in the world did you get that information? As an ex employee at the old Tops market we had access to sheets that showed all the margins on all the products. there was nothing under 20% and a lot of items over 30%. quit spreading old wives tales.

mcjens

people kill me, no matter what the subject they throw in Walmart. I work at wall make and make more than minimum wage, i have health Insurance, holiday pay, vacation,sick pay, personal days,I work there cause the factory i worked at 8 years ago got ride of about 300 workers. Fast foods or and job like that isnt eary, you think its just flipping a burger or bagging items let me tell you, stand for 8 hours lifting all those items people buy and taking their abuse and see how you feel, not easy but its a living and I PAY for everything no free handouts. Any job is better than no job.People need to get off their high horse ,*****it up and get what ever job their is out there, not everyone can make $$$$millions

mcjens

people kill me . how come the have to throw Walmart into everything. Get over it they have given millions of people a job.People hear bad things about Walmart but Our Walmart is good to me, I make more than minimum wage , i work 40 hours a week, have health Insurance ,paid vacation,sick days,personal days and 401K.I* might ass any job isn't easy, Fast food isn't just flipping a burger, cashiers just dont bag and swipe your card because you cant seem to swipe your own. After 8 hours of standing and lifting all that items people buy and taking their abuse is hard on the workers, Any job is better tan no job. Its hard to live on some people wages but you cant do it. No one should feel getting a minimum wage job is beneath. I got layed off 8 years ago from a great job. better pay then I get now ,there was 500 there when i started and now about 100. So people need to be kinder to those who work flipping burgers or what ever, at least they are working

rosiegirl

I'am that small business owner who employees kids that just want extra cash. I will not only have to raise my prices but I will cut hrs and have to absorb them myself. I already work 7 days a week have no health insurance. I cant afford health insurance seeing as i have a small business it would cost be 20,000 for a family plan. oh I had healthy NY until it just went up to $300.00 a month with no perscription and nothing else. I work very hard at my business and watch people abuse the system and now i have to fork over more money for minimum wage! Come on what about us and trust me any adult that is working a minimum wage job is certainly getting medicaid and I'm sure other benefits compliments of me and many tax paying small business owners, hard working people that dont live on the system etc do i need to continue? Cuomo has no clue what is going to happen if he does this. I'm sure it all looks good on paper to all of those rich politicians!

MikeDavis

Oh goodie bobbie's back. How many people do you employ bobbie? Pay them 10 dollars an hour, no matter the education or performance do you? And of course, after taking the risk of starting and running your own company, you make sure the profit margin never gets above two or three percent don't you? Wouldn't want to seem like you risked your financial future doing that to get wealthy. That would be un-American in your liberal book, right?